Derek's music will please Queen
Mum
Friday, 22nd September 2000
(Article published with kind permission of Northeast Press
Limited,
Sunderland Echo)
A SUNDERLAND musician has his first major
composition performed next week - with the blessing of the Queen Mother.
Derek Gooch, 35, from Alnwick Road,
Farringdon, will be in the audience at Sunderland Empire Theatre on Wednesday night when
the City's own orchestra performs The Queen's Waltz, dedicated to Her Majesty.
The Queen Mother herself will not be
sitting alongside him, although she has been invited.
Derek, who teaches music part-time at
Farringdon School and in Hartlepool, wrote a letter to her, asking her to come to the
concert.
The Queen Mum wrote back, through a
lady-in-waiting, to congratulate him on his success in getting his work performed, but
said she would not be able to attend because of a prior engagement in Scotland.
Persistent Derek then turned his attention
to the Queen, to see if she would allow the work to be performed in Buckingham Palace.
The Master of the Household, Sir Simon
Cooper, replied to say it was very rare for permission to be given for an orchestra to
play within the Palace.
Derek, an ardent royalist, explains:
"My whole aim in writing the piece is for the Queen Mother to listen to it."
He has, however, sent her a copy of the
score and a tape of the music performed on synthesiser, and he is looking forward to the
Empire concert, despite its lack of royal patronage.
He says: "I'm ecstatic that it's going
to be played at long last by an orchestra - I can't wait."
Derek began as a self-taught musician,
playing the guitar and later the organ at the Bible Church in Farringdon. He then enrolled
on a B.Tech. course at Shiney Row College before taking a BA honours degree in music at
Northumbria University.
Wednesday night's concert, which has a
nautical theme, will see the Empire debut of the CoSMOS Orchestra. It will feature Ryhope
soprano Sarah Busfield singing Rule Britannia and pieces by Johann Strauss and Gilbert and
Sullivan. Sunderland's lifeboat crew will perform sea shanties.
Tickets range from £5 to £10 with proceeds going to the
Sunderland branch of the RNLI. The concert starts at 7.30pm.
By ALISTAIR ROBINSON
DEREK GOOCH: First major composition to be performed next
week with the blessing of the Queen Mum.
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